Housing associations name 17 law firms to £30m solicitors panel
The Housing Associations’ Legal Alliance includes (HALA) has appointed 17 firms to its next legal services framework, which is estimated to be worth £30m.
HALA has 35 members (listed below) who, between them, spend approximately £6.2m per annum on external solicitors’ services. At £30m the framework is worth nearly five times its existing framework.
The procurement was led by Optivo. Legal services procurement consultancy Kennedy Cater managed the procurement process for the alliance for the fourth time.
HALA divided the framework into the following lots:
- Corporate, Governance & Finance
- Housing & Asset Management
- Development
- Property
The successful firms were:
- Anthony Collins Solicitors (lots 1)
- Ashfords (3, 4)
- Batchelors (2, 4)
- Bevan Brittan (2)
- Birketts (2)
- Capsticks (1, 2, 3, 4)
- Clarke Willmott (1, 2)
- Devonshires (1, 2, 3, 4)
- Foot Anstey (3, 4)
- Hugh James (3, 4)
- Judge & Priestley (2)
- Penningtons Manches Cooper (1, 3, 4)
- Roythornes (2, 3, 4)
- Sharratts (3)
- TLT (3)
- Trowers & Hamlins (1, 3)
- Winckworth Sherwood (1)
The framework will run for a period of three years, from 1st September 2022 until 31 August 2025, with the option to extend for a further 12 months.
Jane Campbell, Director of Legal Services at Optivo, acting as the contracting authority, said: "Delivering a framework of this breadth and quality is another significant step forward in HALA’s evolution. We look forward to continuing to deliver significant savings to all our members and notable social value benefits to our residents."
Tim Morel, Director of Kennedy Cater said. "Over the last 12 years HALA has proved that it is a highly valuable tool in helping housing associations access high quality legal advice at competitive rates and continues to illustrate the advantages of successful collaboration. We thank the firms for their commitment to our process and look forward to working closely with them in the coming years."
Founded in 2010 by Kennedy Cater and four original members, HALA membership now stands at 35 housing associations across England, who together manage more than 280,000 units of housing stock.
Members of the Alliance include Advance, BME London, Bromford Housing, CDS Co-operatives, Christian Action Housing, Cross Keys Homes, Eastend Homes, Greatwell Homes, Habinteg, Hastoe Group, Hexagon Housing, HFL Homes, Hightown Housing, Housing for Women, Housing Solutions, ISHA, Lewisham Homes, Local Space, MHS Homes, Newlon Housing Trust, Octavia Housing, One Housing, Optivo, Origin Housing, Phoenix Community Homes, Raven Housing Trust, Saxon Weald, Settle Group, Shepherds Bush Housing Group, Soho Housing, Swan Housing Association, Wandle Housing Association, Women’s Pioneer Housing, YMCA St Paul’s Group, YMCA Thames Gateway.
